Christmas Wrap Up
Before the big day, I thought I would give you a run down of my favourite Christmas songs, as that is what most of us have spent the last few weeks listening to.
Expect some Christmas classics and some modern curveballs. Hope you enjoy this list.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
Wham- Last Christmas
My favourite Christmas song was released in 1984 by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley better known as Wham. The song reached number two in the U.K. single charts and that’s where it remained for five weeks. Being kept off the top spot by another Christmas song, Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’.
The song did eventually reach number one. In 2021. On New Years Day the song hit the top spot where it remained for a week. 36 years after its initial release. It hit the top spot in time for Christmas for the first time this year.
‘Last Christmas’ is a brilliant example of the 80s synth pop sound, but it doesn’t sound dated. Today it still stands up and that is in part down to the brilliant songwriting but also due to the charm and delivery of the vocals. Both from George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. The song has that sing along nature about it, you cannot help but sing along to the chorus, even the verses are catchy. George's lyrics are timeless. As well as being a brilliant Christmas song, ‘Last Christmas’ has a more poignant meaning as the songs writer George Michael was found dead on Christmas Day in 2016.
The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl- Fairytale of New York
A song that this year has been given a new sense of poignancy with the world loosing Shane MacGowan, but a song that has always been a Christmas classic. A drunken hymn about broken dreams and abandoned hopes. Yet still with a sense of optimism that fills this time of year. This is the perfect antidote to the other perkier festive anthems that we come to expect at this time of year.
A story as old as time, of a couple who thought they had the world in front of them, only to see it come crashing down. Sung as duet by both MacGowan and MacColl over the backing track of a old Irish Folk song, it has become a universal classic. Loved by all. Especially at this time of year.
The lyrics flash back to the days when a starry-eyed young Irish couple was elated by their arrival in the Big Apple: "They've got cars big as bars, they've got rivers of gold!" A jigging chorus climaxes with the triumphant line that everyone can sing along to, whether they know the rest of the song or not: "And the bells were ringing out for Christmas day.
Alas, the euphoria doesn't last. By the next verse, the lovers are bitter drug addicts, hurling abuse at each other. Finally, they seem to be resigned to being together. A happy ending? Well, maybe not, but the glorious chorus is enough to make you believe it is for a moment.
A Christmas classsic.
Blossoms- Christmas Eve (Soul Purpose)/ It's Going to be a Cold Winter
Blossoms- Christmas Eve (Soul Purpose).Released on Bonfire Night 2020, during a time where a country was transitioning and dealing with changes. Five lads from Stockport, along with the help of the Stockport Junior Voices Choir brought some feel good festive cheer. The band wrote the song ironically on the hottest day of the year, but it still managed to become Christmas classic.
A modern take on the classic Christmas song, the band tapped into the themes of love and warmth associated with Christmas, a perfect anecdote for this time of year. At the time of release it highlighted the importance of Christmas for many people and the feel good nature of the holiday. Which for many was dampened by the pandemic.
Along with the song, the band released a short Christmas film. Featuring the tale of Roy the Rapid Reindeer (played by Lloyd Griffith) as well as having guest appearances from Rowetta and the rest of the band. The film showcases the band returning Roy, to Father Christmas and is both beautiful and hilarious. With jokes about Noel Gallagher, Cliff Richard and even a Wham cover! The film was a perfect accompaniment to a brilliant song.
It’s quickly become one of my favourites not only by the band, but also in the Christmas genre.It would be unfair to write a post on this song without mentioning the other Christmas song Blossoms wrote, yes they wrote two! It's Going to be a Cold Winter, takes the Christmas song and flips the concept on its head. It talks about the mundane, things finding the end of the sellotape, keeping hold of receipts for gifts. The song doesn't take itself seriously and showcases a band having a laugh!
Band Aid- Do They Know It's Christmas
Band Aid is a British and Irish supergroup, formed in 1984 by Bob Geldoff, the lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, after a day in the studio Bob turned on the TV and saw BBC coverage of the famine in Ethiopia and was appalled.
Along with his wife at the time Paula Yates he decided that he needed to do something. A charity record was decided to be the best idea. Geldoff enlisted the help of Midge Ure (Ultravox) to create the backing track before calling many of the most famous British and Irish performers to try and get them to play on the track.
He wanted them to devote their time for free as any proceeds from the track would go towards helping those in Ethiopia. As well as asking some of the biggest stars of the time Geldoff also used a Radio 1 appearance to promote Band Aid instead of new Boomtown Rats material. The song was recorded in one day 25 November 1984. And then released on 3rd December 1984, it went straight in at number one and became the fastest selling single of all time. Staying on the top spot for 5 weeks!
Geldoff’s big idea worked. The song raised both awareness and much needed funds for the famine in Ethiopia. In total around $160 million was raised.
The Darkness- Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)
A real 00's classic, and the song that takes the award for the most fun, and most crude on this list. Released in December 2003, to enter the Christmas Number One Race, eventually finishing as runner up.
The song contains all of the usual festivities we would come to expect from a song about Christmas. Even a Children's Choir are used to provide backing vocals which give the chorus it's distinct sound. Musically it is what we had come to expect from the band, with a very glam like sound and dare I say it. Queen like guitars...
With it being The Darkness though, the song is full of humor and parody most notably the double meaning of the line 'Bells End' (bellend) and 'Ring in peace' (ringpiece). Believe me this wasn't coincidental. When asked about the meaning of the song on a television special, Hawkins stated "we managed to get bellend into a Christmas song without it getting banned! (And ringpiece!)"
The video to this song, is just as memorable as the song. It features the band unwrapping presents. Justin Hawkins thinks of his girlfriend, played by his then-girlfriend and the Darkness's manager, Sue Whitehouse, as pictured in a bauble and in the fire. Justin goes outside and is joined by the rest of the band playing the song. He opens the door to find a choir standing outside singing the song. Justin joins in and invites them inside. Dan Hawkins gives Justin a present; a car key.
I'll leave you with the words of the man who wrote it. “When I’m walking around Tesco and you can hear our Christmas song from mid-November onwards, I do hear the sound of a small pound coin entering a piggy bank in my head. Then I think, ‘Ah yes, I will buy the Tesco Finest range instead of economy.’”
John Lennon, Yoko Ono- Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
A Christmas song done, in the John Lennon way. Released in 1971, as the culmination of two years of peace activism that had begun in 1969. The song followed a campaign in December 1969 at the height of the counterculture movement and its protests against America's involvement in the Vietnam War – that primarily consisted of renting billboard space in 12 major cities around the world for the display of black-and-white posters that declared "WAR IS OVER! If You Want It – Happy Christmas from John & Yoko".
The song saw Lennon portray a political message and yet still retain the optimism of traditional Christmas songs. Written around a rather simple acoustic melody, and backed up by a choir providing backing vocals.
He was the first Beatle to release an original Christmas song after they had parted ways and for many it's the best. It certainly is the one of the most unique with him trying to portray an important message of peace.
Paul McCartney- Wonderful Christmastime
You can't have Lennon without McCartney can you. Recorded in the sessions for his solo album McCartney II in 1979, and McCartney's first solo single for eight years. Wonderful Christmastime has become a festive favourite.
McCartney wrote the song in the key of B major, recorded, produced it and played keyboards, synthesizers, guitars, bass, drums, percussion and – of course – jingle bells, entirely on his own during the sessions for his solo project McCartney II.
Although the members of Wings are not on the recording, they do appear in the promotional music video. A song that's the complete opposite of Lennon's both lyrically and musically.
McCartney was writing about the fun had at this time of year, about celebrating with the people you love. Lyrically this is a more traditional, classic Christmas song. Yet musically McCartney may have accidentally started a synth pop movement, that the subsequent decade would become known for.
'Wonderful Christmastime' got all the way to number 6 in the UK singles charts. On Christmas week itself it was at number 7 – the distinctly unseasonable 'Another Brick in the Wall Pt 2' by Pink Floyd was the Christmas number 1.
It's a Christmas classic.
Slade- Merry Xmas Everybody
It had to make the list, it's a song that is Christmas. The song that kick-started the Christmas songs we all no know a love. Slade led the charge, before 'Merry Xmas Everybody' the nation's favourite Christmas tunes were still the old standards like 'Winter Wonderland', 'The Christmas Song' or 'Let It Snow'.
They arguably invented the concept of Christmas Number One, and even 50 years after it's release it is played non stop on British Radio at this time of year.
Noddy said: "We'd decided to write a Christmas song and I wanted to make it reflect a British family Christmas.
"Economically, the country was up the creek. The miners had been on strike, along with the grave-diggers, the bakers and almost everybody else.
"I think people wanted something to cheer them up – and so did I. That's why I came up with the line, 'Look to the future now, it's only just begun'.
Not bad when you hear how the lyrics were written. After an evening out drinking at a pub in Wolverhampton, Holder worked through the night at his mother's house in Walsall to write the lyrics, which he completed in one draft.
Noddy Holder has referred to the song as his pension scheme, reflecting its continuing popularity and the royalties it generates. In 2015 it was estimated that the song generates £500,000 of royalties per year. The song has been credited with popularizing the annual race for the UK Christmas Number One Single.
The whole song is iconic, from it's brilliant catchy chorus to it's frankly hilarious Top of the Pops performance where the drummer doesn't quite understand miming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM7M7zSMJcw
A Christmas anthem.
The Best of the Rest
There's so many songs I have missed, which can be found in this playlist.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3wbJab6wCzlVQvKnrOHEmj?si=55aff57802124515
From Jona Lewie's 'Don't Stop the Cavalry' to the almost post punk 'Christmas Wrapping' through to Sam Fender's beautiful rendition of 'Winter Song'
It's a list of 25 songs, if you want to give it a listen. This is the last post on the site before Christmas.
I'll wish all those who celebrate an amazing Christmas, and all of those who don't enjoy the break whatever you are doing.
Thank you for all of the support.
I'll see you on NYE, for the Beyond the Grooves Awards.
Big Love
Jack x